Okay, so Juliet shoots sharp these days, apparently. What is she going to do with that gun? Who is on her list? And what the heck has perfume got to do with that?
It were thoughts like these that had distracted me and also put me off JHAG, to use the cooler acronym, for a long time. I like the bottles, adore the velvet hat-box packaging, but I never felt the urge to smell them, although they are readily available here. Too much marketing cutesy for me.
I knew that Dee loves their scents though, which elevated them considerably on my appreciation scale, but still not enough to try them, until that fateful day in March when Dee sent another goodie bag and in it I found a generous decant of Calamity J. Fully expecting disappointment, I sprayed and was able to convince myself I did not like it – for about two minutes, then I was toast.
Calamity J was created in 2009 by Romano Ricci and includes notes of patchouli, iris, amber, musk and vanilla infusion.
Ambers and I, a never ending story of love, infatuation and desire. There are few and far between ambers I do not like, so Dee knew what she was doing when she sent Calamity J.
The reason why I was able to think I don’t like it in the beginning, is that the top notes of patchouli are quite harsh and totally stern, stark and un-sweet. But not for long. Calamity J develops into something furry, soft, cuddly and purring, but sitting on a leather couch, maybe even wearing leather boots, gun holstered, but ready to pounce at any minute. Calamity J smells like Danger on its lunch break.
Not a complicated perfume, Calamity J is straight forward and to the point, he he does not fuss around, he is simple and rough around the edges.
Calamity J is unsentimental, unfunny, very cool, but has a big, soft heart of gold that he tries to conceal underneath his worn and dusty leather garments. And yes, you read correctly, HE. Calamity J is a man to me. But I would not want a man to wear it, I want to wear it.
Calamity J is my secret love affair, my extramarital adventure with a dangerous cowboy, who takes himself very seriously, who has a southern drawl and calls me Ma’am, who is maybe not the most educated of them all, but who is devastatingly sexy and does not even know it.
Now excuse me – danger awaits…
Olfactoria's Travels 
That was a fun and seductive review – love the “dangerous cowboy on the side” / Seitensprung analogy! For some reason I got lavender in this, but I see it doesn’t feature in the notes. I might try it again some time, as on paper it sounds like my kind of thing. Creed Love in Black has a harsh iris opening and I own that. (Though I wobble about it sometimes.)
Thank you, V!
Now you are responsible for me getting ahold of my cowboy! 😉
Saddling up as we speak… : – )
Nice, intriguing review. Surprisingly sparse list of notes which is interesting. I too have never tried a single JHAG so far because I find the marketing off-putting (same with ELd’O) but this is the one I’m going to try thanks to you and Dee – again!
Tara, if Dee had not sent it, I would never have tried JHAG, for the same reasons as you. There are so many perfumes to choose from why try one you don’t like the image of? But after trying this, I am happy I did. 🙂
Tara, I’m decanting today (FINALLY!) and will include some Calamity J with your Anne Pliska! 🙂
Thanks very much Dee, you’re too kind! 🙂
I love, love, love this review! Maybe it’s because I’m so fond of CJ, but I think you really captured the spirit of what I love so much about it. It’s so simple, and well done, yet it makes me feel like such a rebel when I wear it!
And, as a whole, I really like this line. I’d be perfectly happy to own a bottle of each and every scent (okay, minus the “Not a perfume,” for silliness, and “Miss Charming” for it’s over-the-top girlishness). Midnight Oud? Yes! Lady Vengeance? Yes! Citizen Queen? Own it! 🙂
Thank you, Dee! I am glad you feel the same about Calamity J.
I will try the others too, for sure.
B, I have a huge bottle of Lady Vengeance – if you’d like a sample of it, just say the word. I’ll never get through that bottle this side of age related sensory loss.
That is lovely of you, Marie. I’ll get back to you should I not be able to score a sample at Le Parfum tomorrow.
“This side of age related sensory loss” Lol! 😀
You know, I have only sampled two from JHAG (like the acronym better than the name), Miss Charming and Lady Vengeance. Somehow, I had the impression that all of the scents were varied riffs on rose. Where did I get that idea? So, I never tried any of the others. I may need to rethink that after reading your review!
I think the two you mention and Citizen Queen are variations of rose, but Calamity J is surely not. I remember having that idea too at some point, strange…
Still haven’t tried this, but it still doesn’t sound like my kind o’ thing. LOVE Citizen Queen.
Citizen Queen is next on my list. 😉
Birgit and Dee, pleeeease, I cannot be buying even samples at that rate! 🙂 Can you both, for a change, hate something? Or at least not to write such intriguing reviews! 😉
Ok, just kidding. Great review!
Well, for you I’ll consider writing only somber statements of like or dislike in the future. 😉
Chiming in rather late to say I enjoyed this review…mostly because I got a kick out of thinking about you having a handsome cowboy on the side who calls you Ma’am. I think I want one of those too. Can I borrow him on the weekends? 😉
Sure, Suz! I’ll have him on weekdays, during the weekends he is all yours. 😉 He can even carry perfume samples back and forth!
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